The Lost Scrolls: Fire
by SuperMo'sQuill
Summary: Zuko is finally where he belongs, or so he wants himself to believe. He is home, his honor is restored. So why does he still feel guilt? In Jade's word's "open his eyes, melt his heart, free his spirit". This is the sequel to The Lost Scrolls: Earth. It follows Zuko and Jade during their separation in the events Book 3. It will be in continuity to the show and the characters.
1. Chapter 1

A/N Just in case you did not know, my dear new reader, this is a sequel story to my other story The Lost Scrolls: Earth. I suggest you read it first, otherwise this one will not make much sense. ;) To my returning readers, thank you for returning! You all mean a lot to me! I'm terribly sorry it took me so long. I hope you enjoy it! :D

* * *

Jade shifted positions on the stiff cot, making her thick chains screech in defiance. The new position offered no more comfort than the last, however. She took a deep breath of the hot, dry air, reclining on the bed that did not deserve to be called such. Comfort was out of the question.

Her weary eyes drifted aimlessly across her cell, every nook and cranny depressingly familiar. They stopped on the small hole cut about seven feet up in the rock wall. The metal bars prevented her escape, but could not prevent her eyes from seeing the wonderful colors of the sunset sky. Immediately, her thoughts were taken back to all the times she and Zuko had gazed at the colors of the sunset from the rooftops of Ba Sing Se. Pain surged in her heart as the questions that had plagued her for days surfaced again.

_Why?_

The one word that summarized her condition.

_Why, Zuko? What made you betray me? The chance for a better life? Are you happy now? Did you ever understand what true happiness is?_

She felt tears escape her eyes. Pressing the back of her head against the hard wall, she sighed.

_I hope you're happy. . ._

A while later, footsteps echoed down the hallway. They grew louder until the guard reached the final cell of the prison that had been cut into the side of a mountain. The mountain rose from a small, extremely remote island near the Fire Nation. She had thought they would take her to the Boiling Rock, the highest security prison in the Fire Nation. Instead they had taken her to the highest secrecy prison; the few prisoners there had likely faded from the memory of the outside world. She assumed they all posed a threat to the war effort, as in the potential to dissuade loyalty and morale of the people for Fire Nation dominion. Likely, they all shared her famous traits, a big mouth and honest opinion.

The guard stood haughtily on the other side of the door, leering. "Could you make a little more noise? I don't think they heard your rattling in the north pole."

He waited for a moment to see if she would retaliate. She did not.

"Here's your food, witch!" He tossed a lump of bread through the bars. It landed on the floor with a loud crack. "Feel free to use your sorcery to make it edible." He laughed heartily at his own joke, even though he said it every few days, whenever it was his turn to distribute the stale meals.

Jade glanced at the loaf, but never entertained the thought of eating it. She could not even stomach the thought. Her misery was her only company.

She dropped her head, her teary eyes falling to the heavy manacles that weighed her wrists. A chain ran from each manacle to a large stake that had been driven into the stone wall. They had taken extra measures to ensure Jade could not energybend, though they were convinced it was some sort of sorcery. Bending solely energy was a foreign concept to them, a wishful work of the imagination. They obviously needed to brush up on their history lessons.

But Jade let them think whatever they wanted. She had not opened her mouth since she arrived. A feat Zuko probably would have thought impossible.

She closed her eyes as more memories flashed. A fight ensued in her heart whether she should cherish or curse them. But in the back of her mind she knew her time with Zuko and Uncle had given purpose to her life again. She could not suppress those memories any more than she could forget her feelings for Zuko.

She sighed again.

_Dear Chao! How can this be? Why am I here? What purpose can this serve? _

She stopped and chided herself for her attitude of thought. Chao knew. He knew. She was the one in the dark. She was the flawed one.

_Forgive me. You know, Chao, what purpose this serves. You hold a purpose for all things. Please open my eyes! Let me see how You are moving in these times of darkness. But if not, only give me the heart to trust You completely. Wherever Zuko and Iroh are, I hope that they are safe and under Your care. But above all else, I pray for Zuko. Open his eyes, melt his heart, free his spirit. Whatever it takes, Chao._

_Whatever it takes. _

* * *

Zuko, the redeemed prince of the Fire Nation, stood on the bow of the sleek black vessel as it sailed across the dark waters. He watched the white foam of the waves beat against the metal monster's bow as the salty air rustled against his face. Lifting his eyes, he looked to the horizon, but could hardly distinguish the dark ocean from the black sky. The only indication of the sky was the faint specks of light that littered it.

Against his will, this mind flashed back to one of the times he and Jade had stargazed. His eyes instinctively searched for the Great Two Dragons, the constellation that Jade had tried to show him to no avail. She had been so fascinated with them. He had desperately wished he could see them. For her.

He shook his head and grunted. Dropping his eyes back down to the restless waters, he fought hard against the swell of emotion that rose in his heart.

_Forget about her! She wouldn't have wanted you to take this opportunity. She was trying to hold you back from your destiny! Forget her. . ._

Zuko reached under his tunic and grabbed her necklace, slipping it over his head. He held the stunning gem in his palm. It caught the moonlight and sparkled faintly. Just like Jade's eyes would.

He slammed his eyes closed and inhaled sharply. Jade would be so disappointed in him. She just. . .would not understand. He had to do this. It was his destiny.

Before he could stop himself, Zuko recoiled and threw the necklace with all his might into the sky. He watched it sail through the dark air, sparkling. It hit the water in silence. As it sunk into the black waves, regret stabbed at his stomach.

But he tried to ignore it.

_There you go! Forget her. It's what you need to do._

Zuko leaned against the cold railing as his eyes fell back down to the raging waters. He was trying, but inwardly he knew he could never forget Jade.

"What's your problem?" The voice broke the silence of the wind, almost startling him.

Mai walked up beside him, slipping her arm through his.

He glanced at her, then back to the indiscernible horizon. "Just hoping I made the right decision this time."

She gave him a nudge. "Of course you did." When he did not immediately agree, she rested her head against his shoulder. "You're coming home, where you belong."

He sighed. "Yeah, I guess so."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N I can't even. So I won't. I'm not a fan of excuses and won't give them to you now. I truly hate it has been so long. But, alas, senior year is now behind me. This summer I plan to buckle down and give you all the story you deserve. Your patience has been greatly appreciated. I hope you all enjoy! Stay fabulous!

* * *

Those few days the grim prison had been seeing much more commotion than usual. And it only added to the increasing wear on Jade's abused nerves. She could only curl up on the thin mat in the corner of her cell and endure.

The guards were employed in three year terms. The fulfillment of their duty had arrived for many and they were preparing to leave as the new recruits and returning guards arrived by boat to the mountain island. The other inmates were creating as much chaos as possible in an attempt to intimidate the rookie guards. They shouted and taunted. The unshackled non-benders shook the bars and threw pieces of slate they had broken off the walls.

Jade, isolated on the far end, could not see if this intimidation factor worked on the new guards. But these were people of the Fire Nation, and she knew they prided themselves on being unaccustomed to fear. This frustratingly meant the headaches she endured at the hand of the chaos were likely in vain.

Three days later, the obnoxious guard that normally threw her meals into her cell came to the door, followed by a anxious man of around twenty years. A rookie, it took all of two seconds for Jade to decide. He had a thin frame, wide eyes, and fidgeting fingers-these characteristics making him the last she would pick out of a line up to be Fire Nation, if not for his golden irises.

The older man shoved his finger in her direction, sneering. "There's the witch."

Hesitantly, the young guard's eyes followed the finger into the dark cell. They halted twice before looking directly at her as if he thought she could harm him directly through eye contact. Jade did not move from the corner, and assumed they both had trouble seeing her. The only light came from the small square window, and Jade was sure to hide in the darkness behind the reach of the beam. This, of course, produced more fear in the rookie's eyes. Not what she had intended, but she supposed she preferred he be afraid of her than constantly taunt her like the other.

The captains of the prison set this anxious young man at watch in the corridor in front of Jade's cell. The best reason for this she could guess was the loss of some of the experienced guards made the commanders extra precautionary.

The last prisoner they wanted to escape was the witch.

For two days, the guard slowly marched a square of exactly five steps per side. Sometimes he would linger in random spots of the square, but Jade could always see part of his red uniform or his shadow on the earthen floor.

He was a nervous young man, and by the way he often glanced repeatedly down the hallway, Jade guessed she was not the only thing that made him anxious. Perhaps he was afraid of the warden. Because Jade had never seen the warden, she had no way of knowing if the guard's fear was a rational. Perhaps he was simply afraid someone would find him inadequate. He seemed the type to struggle with self-esteem.

As if him jittering about constantly were not enough to grate on her nerves, he often stopped his pacing on the far side of his little square to quizzically gaze into her cell. He usually only did this when she was huddled in the corner and the light was dim. She assumed his thinking was she would not notice him staring from a distance.

But she did.

Her guess was he was debating whether or not she looked like a witch, capable of doing things warranted her being shackled inside a cell in a isolated prison. He likely doubted she was capable of much of anything.

But she was.

After five more days, the other guards must have deemed the young boy able to give her meals himself. The guard that usually had the honor of throwing stale rolls at her brought her normal lunch ration and handed it to the rookie. "Here. You're in charge of her meals from now on."

After spitting toward Jade's cell, he stomped off, leaving the rookie awkwardly holding the hardened loaf and peering into her cell. After a second, he looked down the hallway. "How am I supposed to give it to her?"

It was the first time Jade had heard him speak. His voice was soft, smooth. Jade bet he was quite a talented singer. But he also spoke with hesitation, fear.

"You figure it out!" was the only reply he received, which was less than satisfactory by the look on his face.

After five minutes of mental debate, he moved from his square to her cell door, unhooking the single key from his belt. His hand slightly shook as he inserted the key, making the metal ring. The door moved on rusty hinges, grinding terribly as he pulled it open slowly, which only made the noise worse. He took one step in and paused, as if expecting her to lunge at him. When she did not, nor even turn her head toward him, he took another step, stopping three feet in front of her. "Will you be able to reach it if I leave it here?"

Jade did nothing. After a beat, he set it down anyway and backed away, careful to keep an eye in her direction. The door shut with the same shudder-inducing noise, followed by the sharp ring of her lost freedom. There seemed to be a look of regret, or perhaps pity, in the guard's eyes as he locked her in. He gave a final glance at the bread on the floor before he returned to his square.

Jade had eaten very little since she and arrived. Partly because her stomach was so full of grief she had lost her appetite. Partly because she did not want to give her previous obnoxious guard the satisfaction. She often only took a few bites of the bread, then either tossed the rest in the corner near her cell door, or threw it out the small window. Just because she was revolted by the thought of eating it, did not mean the animals on the island-if there were animals on that cursed steamy rock-would not appreciate it.

She would wait until that night, once the new guard left his shift, to eat her fill of the bread. Not that she wanted to spite the new guard, she just. . .wanted her privacy. Wanted to be left alone. Wanted her misery to be her only company.

For the next two days, the guard would briefly stop near the door of her cell and look in, eyes concerned or questioning, or perhaps both. Sometimes he would open his mouth, only to close it and continue his march. He wondered how a such a small, withered human being could be a threat, Jade knew.

By the evening of the second day when he brought her a cold bowl of broth for dinner, he opened the door without hesitation, taking his customary two steps and kneeling. As he set the bowl on the floor, just before he began to rise, Jade spoke.

"Ask me the question you have been wondering this past week before you drive me insane with your fidgeting."

Though her voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper, it startled he who was used to no reaction at all from her. He fell on his bottom, instinctively scrambling back. He quickly caught himself, though, and stopped. After a second of simply staring, he quietly asked, "What did you say?"

Jade lifted her chin from her knees and turned her head toward him. She noticed he gasped when her unusual eyes met his. "Since you arrived you've had questions about me, but have been too afraid to ask anyone. For the past two days, there has been a specific question you've almost asked me a few times. Ask me now before your anxiety drives me insane."

She could see his mind reeling under her intense gaze, fumbling to find the very question that had plagued him. He then collected himself, putting his feet under him, but remaining crouched, eye level with her. "They say you are a witch. Are you?"

Her lips curled. "They is what they say."

His brow narrowed, curious that she did not immediately defend herself. "People say whatever they want. I want to know the truth. Are you?"

Jade looked intently at him, pleasantly surprised by his response. "I am not a witch, as they say."

"Then what are you?"

The question startled her, and her eyes turned back to the opposite wall. What was she? A heart-broken energy bender whose only crime was loving good and hating evil. Speaking her mind. Refusing to conform.

Take your pick of the offense. She could be there for any or all of those reasons. She was a threat to the complacency and apathy that was required among the people for evils to be done, such as those the Fire Nation committed.

She then realized the guard was still waiting on an answer. "I am a threat."

"To whom?"

She glanced back at him. "My enemies."

Though a quick slice of fear flashed through his eyes, Jade thought he changed subjects only because of his curiosity. "They say you had the crown prince trapped in Ba Sing Se. You had him under a spell. Brainwashed or something."

As pain jolted her heart, she narrowed her eyes at the guard, who quickly added, "Or so they say."

She turned her head again, avoiding the young man's golden eyes. Eyes that brought Zuko's beautifully marred face before her. She remembered the first time she had seen Zuko's eyes. He was unconscious on her couch, and as she leaned over him to check his breathing, he awoke. His gorgeous eyes stared straight into hers. Orbs of golden flakes, hiding the anger and hurt underneath. She took a shaky breath before she answered. "I was not the one in Ba Sing Se responsible for brainwashing. And I didn't have the prince under a spell. Unless you consider love and forgiveness a spell."

That answer seemed to startled him almost as much as when she had first spoken. His eyes could not decide whether to widen or narrow. "You were in love with him?"

His question offended her, but had cared enough to ask it, so she would give him an answer. Jade took a deep breath, trying to push back the pain surging in her heart. Though Zuko always consumed her thoughts, speaking of what she lost hurt all the more. "I love him, yes. And he loved me. . ."

The guard's soft eyes lifted to her face, his brow showing something like sympathy. Suddenly a shout rang out from down the hall, and the guard shot to his feet. He stumbled out of the cell and quickly shut the door, the metallic scream making Jade cringe. The young lanky man immediately ran down the hallway to whichever superior had lost his temper for whatever reason. A moment later and silence returned to the morose corner of the mountain.

". . .but obviously not enough," Jade whispered under her breath, her eyes drifting back to the dark stone wall. She wrapped her chained arms around her legs as she pulled them to her chest. A stray tear fell down her cheek.

"Not enough."

* * *

Zuko marched down the marble halls of the palace, his quiet footsteps the only noise. Night had fallen hours ago, but restful sleep seemed to be avoiding him as of late. The reason behind this restlessness was also avoiding him. He finally had everything he had wanted since his banishment. He was home, the place of his birth and childhood. The place for which he had longed for years. No more wandering. He was no longer a destitute vagrant. He was once again a prince. He had regained his honor, what he had diligently sought since he had disgraced his father's court.

All he had lost, all he had ever wanted, had been restored to him. He had finally redeemed himself.

So why was this cloak of guilt not lifted from his shoulders? As he sighed, he hand instinctively reached for a necklace he did not wear. He shut his eyes and imagined the smooth, calming stone between his fingers. How could have thrown something so precious away? Why did he think-

No! It did not matter now! Jade was in his past, and he had his entire future before him. Had she not always told him that his past did not matter? That it did not define him?

He could not look back. Not now. He was once again heir to the throne. His people would need a leader that would charge the future with strength and determination, not one that would dwell in the past.

He stepped from the smooth hallway floor to the soft grass of the garden inside the palace walls. Settling beside the tranquil pond, he tried to clear his mind. The moon shone brightly, its white beams a stark contrast atop the dark water. Insects chirped in the distance, blending with the hush of the wind in the trees. He reclined his hands behind his head, staring into the sky. The few clouds were no match for the expanse of the sky, and the stars were clearly visible. His eyes unwillingly searched the darkness for the Two Dragons. He caught himself, and quickly shut his eyes.

He almost wished there was a strong, spunky girl beside him, smiling and telling him to let her use his arm as a pillow.

Jade. . . She had meant a lot to him at one time. Their time together was done. He had made his choice. He did regret that she was absent from this life, but that is how it had to be. She would not understand that this is what he must do. For himself. His father. His people.

This was his destiny.

This was enough.


	3. Chapter 3

Boom. Another chapter. I was determined to post this today, for, alas, I start college tomorrow. I am going to really work on my time-management this year, so as to survive in college. But I will include fanfiction in my plans, rest assured. Anyhoodles, I hope you enjoy thoroughly! :D

* * *

Jade was not sure if there were a term for a person who is too kind to be an acquaintance, but who cannot be called a friend due to circumstance of the relationship. Whether there was a term or not, Jade and the young guard were somewhere between the two categories. His name was Otu, as she came to learn. They always talked when he came into her cell, but they said very little. Only small pieces of information about themselves were shared, for he had to be quick and quiet. One day when he brought her broth and bread (he had begun to sneak her the decent food that the rest of the prisoners ate), she asked him a question she had pondered since she first saw him.

"Why did you come here, Otu?" Even she could hear the health returning to her voice.

"I needed a job," he quietly said as he entered and closed the door behind him, as protocol dictated.

"No, no, that's not the reason." She examined him as he handed her the food and set down a bucket of fresh water. His voice was smooth and rich, though he always spoke quietly. He was not a practical thinker, nor a cynic. He was creative. He had the heart to serve others. Soft hands, nimble fingers. "Your career choice would be what? Singer? Tailor? Healer?"

He looked up from grabbing the old water bucket, utterly shocked, and Jade knew it was times that this when he wondered if maybe she were a witch. "How did you know that?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "Know what? I asked about three professions, and you didn't tell me which one I guessed correctly."

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "All three, actually. I-I sing when I'm alone. Most people don't know that. And, uh, I've considered becoming a tailor or healer. Or perhaps a painter."

Jade gave a crooked smile. "And you're a prison guard on an a searing hot island because...?"

Otu hesitated, and Jade realized to her surprise that he was uncomfortable telling her. He turned and grabbed the cell door, looking as though he was not going to answer. "Zahna," he finally said. Jade ran the word through her mind, trying to produce a meaning. He swung the door open, but then looked at Jade over his shoulder. "Her name is Zahna." He left the cell and disappeared around the corner, to take the empty bucket back to the kitchen. Then all was again quiet in Jade's corner of the mountain.

"Zahna," Jade repeated to herself. Then she smiled a smile that had not graced her face since Ba Sing Se.

* * *

Zuko tossed and turned, but could not dispel the nightmare from his comatose mind.

_There he stood, teetering on the edge of the cliff, one step back and he would tumble into the black. The scene was familiar, and the terror in his chest an old acquaintance. A gray fog loomed in front of him and from it came whispering voices. He could not hear their words, but knew they spoke of disdain and disappointment in their crown prince. But how could he blame them? He had not killed the Avatar. His younger sister had. And even then, she seemed to want Zuko to think the Avatar could still be alive. _

_He had returned home a prince with his honored restored, but it was a false reward. He had not earned the right to be home. His house was built on lies. Soon it would all come crashing down._

_Malicious laughter drifted from the fog. Out of the gray, stepped Azula, dressed in dark red, her signature sneer ever present on her face. "Oh, Zuzu," said she, beginning to circle him as a predator does prey. "Will you always be so gullible?"_

_Zuko took a step forward, and when he did, he felt the pull of the abyss grow stronger. "I became privy to your lies long ago, sister! You can't fool me any longer!" _

_Azula gave him a surprised look. "Oh, really? I can't?" Her face became smug once again. "Wait, you're right. You can fool yourself these days." _

_Zuko took a step back, closer to the edge, to lessen the pull of the abyss. "What are you talking about? I know what I'm doing!"_

_"Do you? Do you really?" Azula swept back her hand, and the fog cleared to reveal Jade. She was wearing a tattered tunic and pants, both crimson. Her feet were bare, save the shackles that bound her ankles. Two more thick shackles hung from her wrists, pulling her shoulders down into a hunch. Her head was tilted downward, but her eyes were lifted, staring into his. Her long hair hung around her angry, hard face. This was not the Jade he knew, the one he had left in Ba Sing Se. _

_"Jade, what happened to you?" he shouted, trying to moving forward despite the pull against him. _

_"You happened to her, Dum Dum," Azula scoffed. "She befriended you. Healed you. Cared for you." She folded her hands and brought them under her chin. "And how did you thank her?" His sister laughed again. "You betrayed her! Left her alone in the city. You knew she feared the Dai Li. Yet you turned your back on her! Ha! I taught you well, brother!"_

_"No!" Zuko screamed, bringing his hands to his head, grabbing fistfuls of his hair. "I did not betray her! She knew my destiny was leading me elsewhere! I left her and she was safe!"_

_"Was she?"_

_As if the fog were connected to his memories, it displayed the scene he had seen when he had gone to find Jade after the invasion. _

_Her door was broken and barely hanging in the hinges. The inside of her home was destroyed. Chunks of earth had been pulled from her floor and walls, and were shattered in pieces across the room. The walls were scarred with burns, her rugs and couch singed. _

_"Is that what you call safe, brother? Her home ransacked and no trace of her?" _

_"You do not understand!" He turned his back on them, and found himself staring into the black abyss. It made his head swim. Still, it was no worse than looking at his sneering sister and the ghost of Jade. _

_He could hear Azula prowling behind him. "Understand what? That you're incapable of doing what you promise?" _

_He dropped to his knees, pressing his fists against his temples. "Shut up!" _

_"You promised to kill the Avatar. I did that, and you're taking the credit for it. What did you promise Jade? To protect her? Stay with her? Love her?"_

_Suddenly her voice was in his ear, sending chills through his body like lightning bolts. _

_"You don't know if the Avatar is dead. You don't know if Jade is alive." _

Zuko shot up in bed, his breathing hard and heart beating erratically, covered in sweat yet shivering. It took a long moment before he pushed the nightmare to the back of his mind and was able to control his breaths. He threw off the covers and planted his feet of the cold floor, rubbing his eyes harder than necessary.

He told himself it was only a nightmare, but his churning stomach did not believe him. It may have only been a nightmare, but it had spoken the truth. He had broken two of the promises had he viewed as most sacred. For three years, all the had thought about was finding the Avatar and returning home. He had sworn to Jade to be her friend, perhaps not in word, but very much in deed.

He had not been able to subdue the Avatar. Azula had. She had told him the Avatar was dead, but how could he believe her? After all, his childhood mantra had been, "Azula always lies." He could only hope with every fiber of his being that the assassin he had sent succeeded.

Concerning Jade, he did not even know if he had failed. He had no idea what had happened to her. He ignored the gut instinct that told it was something bad.

He grabbed a robe from his wardrobe and tied it tightly around himself, pulling the hood up. He retrieved his shoes from where he had thrown them under the bed and slid into them. He opened the door to his room, taking a glance both ways to make sure no one lingered in the hallways. Assured it was clear, he slipped out into the shadows.

_Always in the shadows_, he thought.

* * *

Zuko walked through the dark prison hallways briskly, which only gave the cold, earthy air more sting against his face. He hardly noticed. The torches that were mounted on the wall every few steps seemed weak, their light only reaching so far. It was deep into the night outside, and was as if that darkness had seeped down into the prison, combatting the light.

He kept his head low, though it mattered little. If a guard noticed him, he would lift his face and they would immediately let him pass. Really, he probably should have kept his face forward. The guards would see and not even think of stopping him. Yet something in him told him to hang his head.

He finally approached the door he sought, and there stood a guard who looked ready to doze off, but snapped to attention when she heard footsteps. He stopped. "Open the door." She seemed surprised at the request but, with only a quick glance, obeyed. The thick wooden door swung open with a shuddering creak. He entered and found another guard inside, seated on a chair, who must have startled awake when the door sounded, judging from the look on his face and his crooked helmet. "My highness!"

Zuko ignored the man's blunder. "Get out."

He quickly scrambled out and shut the door. Zuko then focused on the cell that took up half of the small room. It was dark; there was only a candle burning on the guard's table. Zuko finally located the outline of a person through the bars.

"Uncle," Zuko said, trying to keep his voice even, "I need to ask you something."

His uncle did not move. He remained in the corner, his back to Zuko, staring at the wall. Zuko could not tell if he had woken his uncle, or whether he had even been asleep or not.

He ground his teeth. "Uncle, please, I know you don't understand my decision. Neither would've Jade. I didn't expect either of you to."

No movement, no noise from his uncle.

"You don't have to speak to me, Uncle. You can just nod or something."

Nothing.

Zuko grabbed the chair from against the wall and slammed it in the middle of the room, then dropped into it, elbows on knees, head in hands. "Uncle, it's Jade..."

If Zuko's face had not been buried in his hands, he would have notice his uncle stiffen at her name.

"I don't know where she is, Uncle. She was gone. From Ba Sing Se. Someone took her, I know." There is was then. He finally admitted it. He knew someone had taken her. Yet it only made his stomach knot more.

"Please, Uncle, do you where they took her? Is she in this prison?"

After a moment of no response, Zuko stood, fists clenched. "Answer me! Please, Uncle! Where is she?!" He kicked the chair, and it crashed against the wall. His uncle flinched. Zuko realized if Jade had seen him lose his temper like that, she would have been frightened.

His anger melting into desperation, Zuko sighed and dropped to his knees. "Uncle, you don't have to forgive me. You never have to speak with me again. I'll leave now and never visit you if that's what you want. Just please, please, tell me: do you know where Jade is?"

Zuko heard fabric rustling and lifted his eyes. Iroh had turned his head to the side; Zuko could only see his profile. But the sorrow Zuko saw in his uncle's face told him the two things he had desperately feared.

Jade was not in that prison.

And Iroh did not know where she was.

Zuko bowed his head. "Jade, forgive me."


End file.
